BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ - It was the bottom of the ninth, and Gov. Livingston trailed Elizabeth 6-4 with one out. One thing's for certain, you never can rule out the Highlanders to grab that last chance homerun to capture the win -- especially when you have Drew Compton in the batter's box.

Sam Bass, a right handed pitcher was in the bullpen warming up to go in the game -- he watched as Compton stepped up to bat. "When he made contact, I threw my glove in the air because I knew it was a homerun," said Bass. Compton blasted the fast ball over the right field fence for the walk-off 7-6 victory. "That game just showed how resilient we were and was the high point in the season for us," said Bass.

Although this 2019 season highlight doesn't really involve Bass, it ranks as his favorite GL team memory. That come from behind thrilling victory was a season changer for the team to push Gov. Livingston back into a UCC-Watchung divsion first place tie with Cranford.

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This 2020 senior class has seen success throughout their years in the Gov. Livingston baseball program -- reaching back to back JV UCT championship games and two players (Ryan Devanney and Dylan Verschleiser) were part of the all-star 2018 UCT Championship team. No doubt, each senior on this 2020 roster had the drive and hunger to be part of something special with the goal of hanging another championship banner on the hill.

Gov. Livingston head baseball coach Chris Roof said there was not doubt Bass was going to be one of his top arms this spring --- "but, again, we'll never know," said Roof. "Another player who me and the coaching staff thought was ready for a breakout season on the mound for us was Sam," he said. "Sam had a great summer/fall season throwing the baseball. Sam has a high baseball IQ, but more importantly is an outstanding student and special writer. The sky’s the limit for this young man. Sam will continue his baseball and academic career at Thomas Jefferson, where he received a D2 baseball scholarship. Sam will be sorely missed."

For Bass, wearing the GL uniform meant the world to him. "Growing up as a little kid in Roof camp and seeing all the varsity players made it a goal of mine to make the team," said Bass. "When I finally got there I felt like my dreams came true and I finally accomplished my goals. I was able to be someone that the kids at camp look up to and I made it to a point a lot of kids in Berkeley heights and Mountainside dream of getting to but never do."

TAPinto: What is your favorite youth highlight?

Sam: My favorite youth highlight has to be one of two games. The first coming in the 8U championship game, I was on third base and Peyton Hopeck drove me in to win the game. At that moment as kids we had pure excitement and I will never forget how happy we were. The second would be in a tournament game in our 12u season I pitched 6 innings, then got taken out after keeping the other team scoreless, went to left field and after the other team made a comeback I threw out the tying run at home to win the game.

TAPinto: How are you doing during this period of COVID-19 isolation?

Sam: Isolation is going well, I do miss lacing up the cleats and taking the field with my brothers, but everything happens for a reason and I know we will come out stronger.

TAPinto: What will be the first thing you do once restrictions are lifted?

Sam: The first thing I will do is take Matt Murowski or Danny Quinn to a field and throw. Aside from that, I am looking forward to going to the gym and making new memories with my friends.

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Valairco Heating & Cooling is the proud sponsor of the Highlander Senior Spotlight Series. Kevin McHugh, Valairco Owner and President and Berkeley Heights resident, is an alumni of Gov. Livingston High School.

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TRENTON, NJ -- Some good news for teenagers who have been patiently (and not so patiently) waiting to get their drivers licenses.

Gov. Phil Murphy and Chief Administrator Sue Fulton of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) on Friday announced plans for a phased reopening of MVC facilities to the public following closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reopening will proceed in a ...

TRENTON, NJ -- Some good news for teenagers who have been patiently (and not so patiently) waiting ...

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ -- Fabiana Pierre-Louis, a member of Union Catholic’s Class of 1998, made history on Friday when N.J. Governor Phil Murphy said he will nominate her to become New Jersey’s first black woman to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Murphy made the landmark announcement during a new conference from Trenton.

“Today I will submit Fabiana’s name to the New Jersey State Bar ...

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ -- Fabiana Pierre-Louis, a member of Union Catholic’s Class of 1998, made history ...

RED BANK, NJ -- Scott Wingerter, Editor of TAPinto Red Bank, joined Host Stephanie Willoughby to share a story from his community about a local nonprofit organization who held an online art auction to raise money to feed the needy.

Lunch Break is a Red Bank organization founded in 1983 to help underemployed people make ends meet, said Wingerter, but it has evolved into much more. “Lunch ...

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ -- Austin Holman is the coach of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School football team. He sent this letters to his players, coaches, parents and supporters. With Coach Holman's permission, TAPintoSPF has reprinted his thoughtful and moving letter.

Dear Raider Family:

I write this to you as the leader of the football community in the district of Scotch ...

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ -- Austin Holman is the coach of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School ...

Gov. Phil Murphy outlined a series of guidelines Thursday for tens of thousands of bars and restaurants across the state to follow when they begin to welcome back diners at 6 a.m. on June 15.

When your favorite steakhouse or burger joint opens for outdoor dining next week, limited seating, spread out tables and hand sanitizing stations – not to mention the house specialty – will be on the ...

Gov. Phil Murphy outlined a series of guidelines Thursday for tens of thousands of bars and ...

CAMDEN, NJ -- Steven Rodas, Editor of TAPinto Camden, spoke with Stephanie Willoughby about the recent protest held here in solidarity with George Floyd that has put the city in the national spotlight for both its peaceful nature and police participation.

Hundreds gathered in downtown Camden on Saturday, May 30, but what made this protest stand out from the thousands of other marches that ...

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD/WESTFIELD, NJ -- An estimated 1,500 people gathered, prayed, chanted, and displayed their outrage over George Floyd's death in Minneapolis last week, but the crowd spoke the loudest when it said nothing at all for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

Co-organizer Morghan Johnson asked the crowd to remain silent for the amount of time a Minneapolis police officer kept his knee on ...

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ - Let's help salute Mountainside Class of 2020 and celebrate our 8th grade, high school and college (including graduate level) graduates. This is not affiliated with any particular school and all Mountainside graduates in the above categories are invited to participate.

On Saturday, June 6th (rain date June 7th), Max Spivak, with the help of others, will lead another car ...

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – There’s been a whole lot of ‘ding, dong, ditch’ going on throughout the community the past two weeks but, unlike the game typically played by youngsters and teens, the South Plainfield version is open only to women age 21 and older.

As members of the Facebook group ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Booze - SoPo edition,’ female residents – i.e. ‘booze fairies’ – are working ...

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – There’s been a whole lot of ‘ding, dong, ditch’ going on throughout the ...